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#313 


Duke  University  Libraries 

Report  of  the  A 
Conf  Pam  #313 

DTTDEED71U 


REPORT 


ATT(  >"R  X  K  V  GENERAL 


Department  of  Justice,  t 

Richmond,  April  lb,  1804.       \ 


To  the  President 


Sir:  There  are  several  matters**  hich  concern   this  Department, 
winch  I  beg  leave  to  call   your  attention. 

The  delay  in  the  publication  of  the  acts  of  Congress*,  in  pamphlet 
form,  is  felt  to  he  an  evil.  The  fourth  section  of  act  No.  203,  ap- 
proved oth  August,  I86J,  requires  the  printing,  in  such  case,  to  be 
executed  by  the  Public  Printer.  I  have  been  informed  that  his  office, 
under  the  exigencies  of  the  tunes,  is  inadequate  to  the  simultam 
execution  of  the  different  classes  of  work  required  of  him.  But, 
whatever  may   be  the  the    de.lav  is    undeniable,    and,  the   law 

should,  therefore,  be  so  amended  as  to  allow  a  contract  toBe  o 
with  another  office  to  publish  the  acts  in  that  form,  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and  upon  the  same  term's,  as  now  required  and  allowed.  In  this 
connection,  it  may  be  stated,  that  the  printing,  of  the  provisional  and 
permanent  Constitutions,  and  of  the  acts  and  resolutions  and  treaties. 
of  the  provisional  Government,  authorized  by  the  act  of  the  1 7 th 
February,  1802,  has  not  been  completed.  The  same*  causes  which 
delay  the  publication,  in  pamphlet  form,  of  the  acts  of  each  session. 
have  delayed  the  publication  in  this  case  The  printing,  however,  is 
now,  after  a  lapse  of  about  two  years,  nearly  finished,  and  it  is  hoped, 
that  in  a  few  weeks,  the  work  will  be  ready  for  delivery.  The  act 
provides  only  for  binding  the  volumes  in  calf,  which  it  authorizes  to 
be  postponed  until  after'the  war.  It  makes  no  express  provision  for 
the  distribution  of  the  volumes  when  bound,  and  it  would  be  well  to 
have  a  few  copies  bound  in  a*hcap  and  substantial  form  for  distribu- 
tion amongst  tbc  officers  of  the  Government.  The  limited  distribu- 
tion of  the  acts  of  each  session,  iu  pamphlet  form,  is  also  felt  to  be 
an  evil.  One  copy  should  be  sent  to  the  county  court  of  each  county, 
fur  the  use  of  the  people  ;  copies  should  be  sent  to  the  supreme  court 
and  Attorney   (Jpneral  of  each    State;     a   larger   number   should   b« 


allowed  to  the  War.and  Navy  Departments;  a  •  ild  be  Sent  to 

each   districl    court  commissioner,  and  additional   co]  ii 
allowed  to  the  marshals  for  distribution  amongst  their  deputi 

A."  X  '.   372.  approved   2jlth   January,    1862,    requires   a    district 
judge,  when  requested  ;e  with  the  judge 

Listrict.     When  such  c  ■  ■  >ly    upon 

either  pai  .  ord  to  a  judge  <•• 

•  of  the  motioi 
the  I  .  idence   that   the   case 

can!.  .  in  which  it  is  pendin 

Tl  for  1  aymerit  of  the  travelling 

efcpen  s,  when  I  and  it  lias  been  - 

wh'ethei  >f  the  Congv 

the  United  18  i  '.  which  makes  such  provision, 

is  in  fori  taps  it  would  be  better,  therefore.,  to  amend  the  law 

iii  this  respect. 

The  act  of  the  2  •.  I861,  Qg  this*  Department, 

makes  it  the  duty  of  the^Attortiey General,  "  to  give  his  advice  and 
opiu  ms  of  law,  when  required  by  the  President  of  the 

by  any  of  the  heads  of  depart- 

concern  their  departments,  on 

lajrassment  is  felt,  at  times,  for  the 

want  ry  in  the  examination  of  questions  thus  sub- 

d.       A  few  books   presented  to  the    Department  by   the* several 

States,  and  a  few  hooks  turned  over  to  committee  appointed 

to  make  a  statutory  digest  t  with  a  copy  of  the  United  States 

tutes*  at  Large,  constitute  the  library.     An  appropriation  for  the 

purchase  of  bo  asked  by  6no  of  my  predecessors,  but  none  has 

been  made.     There  are  good  libraries  in  the  States,  which  be- 

i  lawyers,  who  h*ve  lost  their  lives  in  the  military  service  of  the 

Government,  several,  or  either  of  which,  I  doubt  not,  could  be  bought 

on  reasonable  terms,      i  recommend,  therefore,  that  an  appropriation 

of  ten  thousand*  dollars  be   made   for  the  purchase  of.  books   for  the 

Department. 

1  beg   leave  to  call   attention   to  the   accompanying  report  of    the 
•Superintendent  of  Public   Printing. 

GEORGE  DAVIS. 
Attorney  General. 


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